Fated Blades (Kinsmen, #3)

by Ilona Andrews

There were a hundred ways he could have reacted. He could have lashed out at her; he could have refused to believe her; he could have shut down, gone into shock, or simply had her thrown out. Instead, they were riding an elevator, determined to fix this disaster before it became a catastrophe.

“It is an Albine Needlehair Spaniel. They’re fierce.” “All seven kilos of them.” “Small dog, big heart.”

“That’s the beauty of it, Matias. None of them owe me anything. They help me because they consider me a friend. Being kind to people and paying attention shouldn’t be done with the expectation of repayment. I helped them because I could, and it made me happy.”

“So, you’re going to do the man thing?” “What man thing?” “The one where you heroically decide to pilot the entire distance and then be tired and irritable and expect special treatment for it.”

But right now, she saw color. She was beat up, bruised, and tired, but the world was vivid and bright again. It wasn’t Matias, although he was definitely a catalyst. It was the prospect of freedom.

She had to get him out of her mind. She’d only known him for one day, anyway. He’d thrown his arm in front of her to shield her from the crash. What a dirty move. That bastard.

“You were supposed to die. Why aren’t you dead?” He nodded at the plaza below painted red with blood. “Because I killed everyone.”